SummaryThis project presents a new concept for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of cancer biomarker patterns in point-of-care. The device under development will make use of the selectivity of the plastic antibodies as sensing materials and the interference they will play on the normal operation of a photovoltaic cell.
Plastic antibodies will be designed by surface imprinting procedures. Self-assembled monolayer and molecular imprinting techniques will be merged in this process because they allow the self-assembly of nanostructured materials on a “bottom-up” nanofabrication approach. A dye-sensitized solar cell will be used as photovoltaic cell. It includes a liquid interface in the cell circuit, which allows the introduction of the sample (also in liquid phase) without disturbing the normal cell operation. Furthermore, it works well with rather low cost materials and requires mild and easy processing conditions. The cell will be equipped with plasmonic structures to enhance light absorption and cell efficiency.
The device under development will be easily operated by any clinician or patient. It will require ambient light and a regular multimeter. Eye detection will be also tried out.

This project presents a new concept for the detection, diagnosis and monitoring of cancer biomarker patterns in point-of-care. The device under development will make use of the selectivity of the plastic antibodies as sensing materials and the interference they will play on the normal operation of a photovoltaic cell.
Plastic antibodies will be designed by surface imprinting procedures. Self-assembled monolayer and molecular imprinting techniques will be merged in this process because they allow the self-assembly of nanostructured materials on a “bottom-up” nanofabrication approach. A dye-sensitized solar cell will be used as photovoltaic cell. It includes a liquid interface in the cell circuit, which allows the introduction of the sample (also in liquid phase) without disturbing the normal cell operation. Furthermore, it works well with rather low cost materials and requires mild and easy processing conditions. The cell will be equipped with plasmonic structures to enhance light absorption and cell efficiency.
The device under development will be easily operated by any clinician or patient. It will require ambient light and a regular multimeter. Eye detection will be also tried out.

SummaryNew generations of devices for tissue engineering (TE) should rationalize better the physical and biochemical cues operating in tandem during native regeneration, in particular at the scale/organizational-level of the stem cell niche. The understanding and the deconstruction of these factors (e.g. multiple cell types exchanging both paracrine and direct signals, structural and chemical arrangement of the extra-cellular matrix, mechanical signals…) should be then incorporated into the design of truly biomimetic biomaterials. ATLAS proposes rather unique toolboxes combining smart biomaterials and cells for the ground-breaking advances of engineering fully time-self-regulated complex 2D and 3D devices, able to adjust the cascade of processes leading to faster high-quality new tissue formation with minimum pre-processing of cells. Versatile biomaterials based on marine-origin macromolecules will be used, namely in the supramolecular assembly of instructive multilayers as nanostratified building-blocks for engineer such structures. The backbone of these biopolymers will be equipped with a variety of (bio)chemical elements permitting: post-processing chemistry and micro-patterning, specific/non-specific cell attachment, and cell-controlled degradation. Aiming at being applied in bone TE, ATLAS will integrate cells from different units of tissue physiology, namely bone and hematopoietic basic elements and consider the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems. These ingredients will permit to architect innovative films with high-level dialogue control with cells, but in particular sophisticated quasi-closed 3D capsules able to compartmentalise such components in a “globe-like” organization, providing local and long-range order for in vitro microtissue development and function. Such hybrid devices could be used in more generalised front-edge applications, including as disease models for drug discovery or test new therapies in vitro.

New generations of devices for tissue engineering (TE) should rationalize better the physical and biochemical cues operating in tandem during native regeneration, in particular at the scale/organizational-level of the stem cell niche. The understanding and the deconstruction of these factors (e.g. multiple cell types exchanging both paracrine and direct signals, structural and chemical arrangement of the extra-cellular matrix, mechanical signals…) should be then incorporated into the design of truly biomimetic biomaterials. ATLAS proposes rather unique toolboxes combining smart biomaterials and cells for the ground-breaking advances of engineering fully time-self-regulated complex 2D and 3D devices, able to adjust the cascade of processes leading to faster high-quality new tissue formation with minimum pre-processing of cells. Versatile biomaterials based on marine-origin macromolecules will be used, namely in the supramolecular assembly of instructive multilayers as nanostratified building-blocks for engineer such structures. The backbone of these biopolymers will be equipped with a variety of (bio)chemical elements permitting: post-processing chemistry and micro-patterning, specific/non-specific cell attachment, and cell-controlled degradation. Aiming at being applied in bone TE, ATLAS will integrate cells from different units of tissue physiology, namely bone and hematopoietic basic elements and consider the interactions between the immune and skeletal systems. These ingredients will permit to architect innovative films with high-level dialogue control with cells, but in particular sophisticated quasi-closed 3D capsules able to compartmentalise such components in a “globe-like” organization, providing local and long-range order for in vitro microtissue development and function. Such hybrid devices could be used in more generalised front-edge applications, including as disease models for drug discovery or test new therapies in vitro.

Max ERC Funding

2 498 988 €

Duration

Start date: 2015-12-01, End date: 2020-11-30

Project acronymBI-DSC

ProjectBuilding Integrated Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

Researcher (PI)Adélio Miguel Magalhaes Mendes

Host Institution (HI)UNIVERSIDADE DO PORTO

Call DetailsAdvanced Grant (AdG), PE8, ERC-2012-ADG_20120216

SummaryIn the last decade, solar and photovoltaic (PV) technologies have emerged as a potentially major technology for power generation in the world. So far the PV field has been dominated by silicon devices, even though this technology is still expensive.Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) are an important type of thin-film photovoltaics due to their potential for low-cost fabrication and versatile applications, and because their aesthetic appearance, semi-transparency and different color possibilities.This advantageous characteristic makes DSC the first choice for building integrated photovoltaics.Despite their great potential, DSCs for building applications are still not available at commercial level. However, to bring DSCs to a marketable product several developments are still needed and the present project targets to give relevant answers to three key limitations: encapsulation, glass substrate enhanced electrical conductivity and more efficient and low-cost raw-materials. Recently, the proponent successfully addressed the hermetic devices sealing by developing a laser-assisted glass sealing procedure.Thus, BI-DSC proposal envisages the development of DSC modules 30x30cm2, containing four individual cells, and their incorporation in a 1m2 double glass sheet arrangement for BIPV with an energy efficiency of at least 9% and a lifetime of 20 years. Additionally, aiming at enhanced efficiency of the final device and decreased total costs of DSCs manufacturing, new materials will be also pursued. The following inner-components were identified as critical: carbon-based counter-electrode; carbon quantum-dots and hierarchically TiO2 photoelectrode. It is then clear that this project is divided into two research though parallel directions: a fundamental research line, contributing to the development of the new generation DSC technology; while a more applied research line targets the development of a DSC functional module that can be used to pave the way for its industrialization.

In the last decade, solar and photovoltaic (PV) technologies have emerged as a potentially major technology for power generation in the world. So far the PV field has been dominated by silicon devices, even though this technology is still expensive.Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) are an important type of thin-film photovoltaics due to their potential for low-cost fabrication and versatile applications, and because their aesthetic appearance, semi-transparency and different color possibilities.This advantageous characteristic makes DSC the first choice for building integrated photovoltaics.Despite their great potential, DSCs for building applications are still not available at commercial level. However, to bring DSCs to a marketable product several developments are still needed and the present project targets to give relevant answers to three key limitations: encapsulation, glass substrate enhanced electrical conductivity and more efficient and low-cost raw-materials. Recently, the proponent successfully addressed the hermetic devices sealing by developing a laser-assisted glass sealing procedure.Thus, BI-DSC proposal envisages the development of DSC modules 30x30cm2, containing four individual cells, and their incorporation in a 1m2 double glass sheet arrangement for BIPV with an energy efficiency of at least 9% and a lifetime of 20 years. Additionally, aiming at enhanced efficiency of the final device and decreased total costs of DSCs manufacturing, new materials will be also pursued. The following inner-components were identified as critical: carbon-based counter-electrode; carbon quantum-dots and hierarchically TiO2 photoelectrode. It is then clear that this project is divided into two research though parallel directions: a fundamental research line, contributing to the development of the new generation DSC technology; while a more applied research line targets the development of a DSC functional module that can be used to pave the way for its industrialization.

SummaryThe demand for donated organs vastly outnumbers the supply, leading each year to the death of thousands of people and the suffering of millions more. Engineered tissues and organs following Tissue Engineering approaches are a possible solution to this problem. However, a prevascularization solution to irrigate complex engineered tissues and assure their survival after transplantation is currently elusive. In the human body, complex organs and tissues irrigation is achieved by a network of blood vessels termed capillary bed which suggests such a structure is needed in engineered tissues. Previous approaches to engineer capillary beds reached different levels of success but none yielded a fully functional one due to the inability in simultaneously addressing key elements such as correct angiogenic cell populations, a suitable matrix and dynamic conditions that mimic blood flow.
CapBed aims at proposing a new technology to fabricate in vitro capillary beds that include a vascular axis that can be anastomosed with a patient circulation. Such capillary beds could be used as prime tools to prevascularize in vitro engineered tissues and provide fast perfusion of those after transplantation to a patient. Cutting edge techniques will be for the first time integrated in a disruptive approach to address the requirements listed above. Angiogenic cell sheets of human Adipose-derived Stromal Vascular fraction cells will provide the cell populations that integrate the capillaries and manage its intricate formation, as well as the collagen required to build the matrix that will hold the capillary beds. Innovative fabrication technologies such as 3D printing and laser photoablation will be used for the fabrication of the micropatterned matrix that will allow fluid flow through microfluidics. The resulting functional capillary beds can be used with virtually every tissue engineering strategy rendering the proposed strategy with massive economical, scientific and medical potential

The demand for donated organs vastly outnumbers the supply, leading each year to the death of thousands of people and the suffering of millions more. Engineered tissues and organs following Tissue Engineering approaches are a possible solution to this problem. However, a prevascularization solution to irrigate complex engineered tissues and assure their survival after transplantation is currently elusive. In the human body, complex organs and tissues irrigation is achieved by a network of blood vessels termed capillary bed which suggests such a structure is needed in engineered tissues. Previous approaches to engineer capillary beds reached different levels of success but none yielded a fully functional one due to the inability in simultaneously addressing key elements such as correct angiogenic cell populations, a suitable matrix and dynamic conditions that mimic blood flow.
CapBed aims at proposing a new technology to fabricate in vitro capillary beds that include a vascular axis that can be anastomosed with a patient circulation. Such capillary beds could be used as prime tools to prevascularize in vitro engineered tissues and provide fast perfusion of those after transplantation to a patient. Cutting edge techniques will be for the first time integrated in a disruptive approach to address the requirements listed above. Angiogenic cell sheets of human Adipose-derived Stromal Vascular fraction cells will provide the cell populations that integrate the capillaries and manage its intricate formation, as well as the collagen required to build the matrix that will hold the capillary beds. Innovative fabrication technologies such as 3D printing and laser photoablation will be used for the fabrication of the micropatterned matrix that will allow fluid flow through microfluidics. The resulting functional capillary beds can be used with virtually every tissue engineering strategy rendering the proposed strategy with massive economical, scientific and medical potential

SummaryThe possibility of having a unique device that converts thermal and photonics energy into electrical energy and simultaneously stores it, is something dreamed by the PI since the beginning of her research career. To achieve that goal, this project aims to gather, in a single substrate, solar cells with up-conversion nanoparticles, thermoelectrics and graphene super-capacitor, all made of thin films. These three main components will be developed separately and integrated sequentially. The innovation proposed is not limited to the integration of components, but rely in ground-breaking concepts: 1) thermoelectric elements based on thin film (TE-TF) oxides; 2) plasmonic nanoparticles for up conversion of near infrared radiation to visible emission in solar cells; 3) graphene super-capacitors; 4) integration and optimization of all components in a single CapTherPV device. This ambitious project will bring new insights at large area, low cost and flexible energy harvesting and comes from an old idea of combining energy conversion and storage that has been pursued by the PI. She started her career in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells, later she started the development of thin film batteries and more recently started a research line in thermoelectric films. If approved, this project will give financial support to consolidate the research being carried out and will give independence to the PI in terms of resources and creative think. More importantly, will facilitate the concretization of the dream that has been pursued with hard work.

The possibility of having a unique device that converts thermal and photonics energy into electrical energy and simultaneously stores it, is something dreamed by the PI since the beginning of her research career. To achieve that goal, this project aims to gather, in a single substrate, solar cells with up-conversion nanoparticles, thermoelectrics and graphene super-capacitor, all made of thin films. These three main components will be developed separately and integrated sequentially. The innovation proposed is not limited to the integration of components, but rely in ground-breaking concepts: 1) thermoelectric elements based on thin film (TE-TF) oxides; 2) plasmonic nanoparticles for up conversion of near infrared radiation to visible emission in solar cells; 3) graphene super-capacitors; 4) integration and optimization of all components in a single CapTherPV device. This ambitious project will bring new insights at large area, low cost and flexible energy harvesting and comes from an old idea of combining energy conversion and storage that has been pursued by the PI. She started her career in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells, later she started the development of thin film batteries and more recently started a research line in thermoelectric films. If approved, this project will give financial support to consolidate the research being carried out and will give independence to the PI in terms of resources and creative think. More importantly, will facilitate the concretization of the dream that has been pursued with hard work.

SummaryNew developments on tissue engineering strategies should realize the complexity of tissue remodelling and the inter-dependency of many variables associated to stem cells and biomaterials interactions. ComplexiTE proposes an integrated approach to address such multiple factors in which different innovative methodologies are implemented, aiming at developing tissue-like substitutes with enhanced in vivo functionality. Several ground-breaking advances are expected to be achieved, including: i) improved methodologies for isolation and expansion of sub-populations of stem cells derived from not so explored sources such as adipose tissue and amniotic fluid; ii) radically new methods to monitor human stem cells behaviour in vivo; iii) new macromolecules isolated from renewable resources, especially from marine origin; iv) combinations of liquid volumes mingling biomaterials and distinct stem cells, generating hydrogel beads upon adequate cross-linking reactions; v) optimised culture of the produced beads in adequate 3D bioreactors and a novel selection method to sort the beads that show a (pre-defined) positive biological reading; vi) random 3D arrays validated by identifying the natural polymers and cells composing the positive beads; v) 2D arrays of selected hydrogel spots for brand new in vivo tests, in which each spot of the implanted chip may be evaluated within the living animal using adequate imaging methods; vi) new porous scaffolds of the best combinations formed by particles agglomeration or fiber-based rapid-prototyping. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to develop breakthrough research specifically focused on the above mentioned key issues and radically innovative approaches to produce and scale-up new tissue engineering strategies that are both industrially and clinically relevant, by mastering the inherent complexity associated to the correct selection among a great number of combinations of possible biomaterials, stem cells and culturing conditions.

New developments on tissue engineering strategies should realize the complexity of tissue remodelling and the inter-dependency of many variables associated to stem cells and biomaterials interactions. ComplexiTE proposes an integrated approach to address such multiple factors in which different innovative methodologies are implemented, aiming at developing tissue-like substitutes with enhanced in vivo functionality. Several ground-breaking advances are expected to be achieved, including: i) improved methodologies for isolation and expansion of sub-populations of stem cells derived from not so explored sources such as adipose tissue and amniotic fluid; ii) radically new methods to monitor human stem cells behaviour in vivo; iii) new macromolecules isolated from renewable resources, especially from marine origin; iv) combinations of liquid volumes mingling biomaterials and distinct stem cells, generating hydrogel beads upon adequate cross-linking reactions; v) optimised culture of the produced beads in adequate 3D bioreactors and a novel selection method to sort the beads that show a (pre-defined) positive biological reading; vi) random 3D arrays validated by identifying the natural polymers and cells composing the positive beads; v) 2D arrays of selected hydrogel spots for brand new in vivo tests, in which each spot of the implanted chip may be evaluated within the living animal using adequate imaging methods; vi) new porous scaffolds of the best combinations formed by particles agglomeration or fiber-based rapid-prototyping. The ultimate goal of this proposal is to develop breakthrough research specifically focused on the above mentioned key issues and radically innovative approaches to produce and scale-up new tissue engineering strategies that are both industrially and clinically relevant, by mastering the inherent complexity associated to the correct selection among a great number of combinations of possible biomaterials, stem cells and culturing conditions.

SummarySugars, aminoacids or organic acids are typically solid at room temperature. Nonetheless when combined at a particular molar fraction they present a high melting point depression, becoming liquids at room temperature. These are called Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents – NADES. NADES are envisaged to play a major role on different chemical engineering processes in the future. Nonetheless, there is a significant lack of knowledge on fundamental and basic research on NADES, which is hindering their industrial applications. For this reason it is important to extend the knowledge on these systems, boosting their application development. NADES applications go beyond chemical or materials engineering and cover a wide range of fields from biocatalysis, extraction, electrochemistry, carbon dioxide capture or biomedical applications. Des.solve encompasses four major themes of research: 1 – Development of NADES and therapeutic deep eutectic solvents – THEDES; 2 – Characterization of the obtained mixtures and computer simulation of NADES/THEDES properties; 3 – Phase behaviour of binary/ternary systems NADES/THEDES + carbon dioxide and thermodynamic modelling 4 – Application development. Starting from the development of novel NADES/THEDES which, by different characterization techniques, will be deeply studied and characterized, the essential raw-materials will be produced for the subsequent research activities. The envisaged research involves modelling and molecular simulations. Des.solve will be deeply engaged in application development, particularly in extraction, biocatalysis and pharmaceutical/biomedical applications. The knowledge that will be created in this proposal is expected not only to have a major impact in the scientific community, but also in society, economy and industry.

Sugars, aminoacids or organic acids are typically solid at room temperature. Nonetheless when combined at a particular molar fraction they present a high melting point depression, becoming liquids at room temperature. These are called Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents – NADES. NADES are envisaged to play a major role on different chemical engineering processes in the future. Nonetheless, there is a significant lack of knowledge on fundamental and basic research on NADES, which is hindering their industrial applications. For this reason it is important to extend the knowledge on these systems, boosting their application development. NADES applications go beyond chemical or materials engineering and cover a wide range of fields from biocatalysis, extraction, electrochemistry, carbon dioxide capture or biomedical applications. Des.solve encompasses four major themes of research: 1 – Development of NADES and therapeutic deep eutectic solvents – THEDES; 2 – Characterization of the obtained mixtures and computer simulation of NADES/THEDES properties; 3 – Phase behaviour of binary/ternary systems NADES/THEDES + carbon dioxide and thermodynamic modelling 4 – Application development. Starting from the development of novel NADES/THEDES which, by different characterization techniques, will be deeply studied and characterized, the essential raw-materials will be produced for the subsequent research activities. The envisaged research involves modelling and molecular simulations. Des.solve will be deeply engaged in application development, particularly in extraction, biocatalysis and pharmaceutical/biomedical applications. The knowledge that will be created in this proposal is expected not only to have a major impact in the scientific community, but also in society, economy and industry.

SummaryDIGISMART creates new avenues into two main areas: 1) processing nanomaterials/nanostructures applied to electronic devices by exploring a new digital multifunctional direct laser writing (LDW) method for in situ synthesis of small-sized nanomaterials/nanofilms micro-patterned growth by selective photothermal decomposition of semiconductors, dielectrics and conductors precursors and 2) provide simultaneously multifunction to single based metal oxide devices (like thin film transistors, the workhorses for large area electronics having electron, charge and color modulation), as the basic unit to promote systems’ integration by exploring the use of new advanced materials with unique multi-functionalities using low cost process solutions.
This new fabrication process will be very useful for low-cost, eco-friendly, and efficient fabrication of nanostructures and thin films-integrated microelectronic devices due to its low-power, simple setup as well as excellent reliability. This new and disruptive concept will be achieved with low cost and non-toxic materials (new metal oxides, MO semiconductors, conductors, dielectrics and electrochromics free of In and Ga) associated to a low cost process multifunctional platform technology (ALL-IN-ONE TOOL) well supported by high-resolution nano-characterization techniques. With DIGISMART new and unexplored materials will be produced as well as to boost the original properties of conventional materials in order to contribute to the needs for low cost and flexible electronics. If we succeed to embed some level of intelligence in every object, this would change electronics and it would change society, ranging from embedded window displays to a wide range of biomedical electronics, just to mention a few and this is what the Internet of Things is looking for.

DIGISMART creates new avenues into two main areas: 1) processing nanomaterials/nanostructures applied to electronic devices by exploring a new digital multifunctional direct laser writing (LDW) method for in situ synthesis of small-sized nanomaterials/nanofilms micro-patterned growth by selective photothermal decomposition of semiconductors, dielectrics and conductors precursors and 2) provide simultaneously multifunction to single based metal oxide devices (like thin film transistors, the workhorses for large area electronics having electron, charge and color modulation), as the basic unit to promote systems’ integration by exploring the use of new advanced materials with unique multi-functionalities using low cost process solutions.
This new fabrication process will be very useful for low-cost, eco-friendly, and efficient fabrication of nanostructures and thin films-integrated microelectronic devices due to its low-power, simple setup as well as excellent reliability. This new and disruptive concept will be achieved with low cost and non-toxic materials (new metal oxides, MO semiconductors, conductors, dielectrics and electrochromics free of In and Ga) associated to a low cost process multifunctional platform technology (ALL-IN-ONE TOOL) well supported by high-resolution nano-characterization techniques. With DIGISMART new and unexplored materials will be produced as well as to boost the original properties of conventional materials in order to contribute to the needs for low cost and flexible electronics. If we succeed to embed some level of intelligence in every object, this would change electronics and it would change society, ranging from embedded window displays to a wide range of biomedical electronics, just to mention a few and this is what the Internet of Things is looking for.

SummaryIt has been recognized that growing cells within 3D structures reduces the gap between 2D in vitro cell cultures and native tissue physiology. This has been paving the way for the development of reliable 3D in vitro cell-based platforms with major impact in the reduction/elimination of animal experimentation, diseases modelling and drug development. So far, the many strategies that have been followed to bioengineer in vitro 3D human tissue models mostly rely on the random culture of cells within a 3D structure without reflecting the compositional and structural complexity of the native tissues. Recently proposed bioprinting technologies that allow accurate and high speed deposition of various cells and matrices at high resolution, have therefore great potential in the development of physiologically reliable 3D in vitro tissue models by recreating the different microenvironments/microfunctionalities found in each tissue. Nonetheless, among the components required for bioprinting, bioinks in particular have demanding requirements and much has still to be done regarding their intrinsic formulation to lead cell behaviour and support specific functionalities.
ECM_INK intends to tackle this issue by developing cells-self extracellular matrices-based bioinks to create accurate and pathophysiological relevant 3D in vitro diseased skin tissue models. The development of cell phenotype-driven bioinks will generate complex microenvironments comprising varied cell types within matrices that were specifically designed to attain a particular response from each one of those cell types. The use of cells from patients suffering from chronic, genetic and neoplastic skin diseases represents a major advantage that will be reflected in the accuracy and functionality of the respective 3D in vitro models. The ultimate confirmation of their potential will be complete after validation using animal-free approaches reinforcing the intrinsic relationship of ECM_INK with the 3Rs policy.

It has been recognized that growing cells within 3D structures reduces the gap between 2D in vitro cell cultures and native tissue physiology. This has been paving the way for the development of reliable 3D in vitro cell-based platforms with major impact in the reduction/elimination of animal experimentation, diseases modelling and drug development. So far, the many strategies that have been followed to bioengineer in vitro 3D human tissue models mostly rely on the random culture of cells within a 3D structure without reflecting the compositional and structural complexity of the native tissues. Recently proposed bioprinting technologies that allow accurate and high speed deposition of various cells and matrices at high resolution, have therefore great potential in the development of physiologically reliable 3D in vitro tissue models by recreating the different microenvironments/microfunctionalities found in each tissue. Nonetheless, among the components required for bioprinting, bioinks in particular have demanding requirements and much has still to be done regarding their intrinsic formulation to lead cell behaviour and support specific functionalities.
ECM_INK intends to tackle this issue by developing cells-self extracellular matrices-based bioinks to create accurate and pathophysiological relevant 3D in vitro diseased skin tissue models. The development of cell phenotype-driven bioinks will generate complex microenvironments comprising varied cell types within matrices that were specifically designed to attain a particular response from each one of those cell types. The use of cells from patients suffering from chronic, genetic and neoplastic skin diseases represents a major advantage that will be reflected in the accuracy and functionality of the respective 3D in vitro models. The ultimate confirmation of their potential will be complete after validation using animal-free approaches reinforcing the intrinsic relationship of ECM_INK with the 3Rs policy.

SummaryFlows of complex fluids, such as many biological fluids and most synthetic fluids, are common in our daily life and are very important from an industrial perspective. Because of their inherent nonlinearity, the flow of complex viscoelastic fluids often leads to counterintuitive and complex behaviour and, above critical conditions, can prompt flow instabilities even under low Reynolds number conditions which are entirely absent in the corresponding Newtonian fluid flows.
The primary goal of this project is to substantially expand the frontiers of our current knowledge regarding the mechanisms that lead to the development of such purely-elastic flow instabilities, and ultimately to understand the transition to so-called “elastic turbulence”, a turbulent-like phenomenon which can arise even under inertialess flow conditions. This is an extremely challenging problem, and to significantly advance our knowledge in such important flows these instabilities will be investigated in a combined manner encompassing experiments, theory and numerical simulations. Such a holistic approach will enable us to understand the underlying mechanisms of those instabilities and to develop accurate criteria for their prediction far in advance of what we could achieve with either approach separately. A deep understanding of the mechanisms generating elastic instabilities and subsequent transition to elastic turbulence is crucial from a fundamental point of view and for many important practical applications involving engineered complex fluids, such as the design of microfluidic mixers for efficient operation under inertialess flow conditions, or the development of highly efficient micron-sized energy management and mass transfer systems.
This research proposal will create a solid basis for the establishment of an internationally-leading research group led by the PI studying flow instabilities and elastic turbulence in complex fluid flows.

Flows of complex fluids, such as many biological fluids and most synthetic fluids, are common in our daily life and are very important from an industrial perspective. Because of their inherent nonlinearity, the flow of complex viscoelastic fluids often leads to counterintuitive and complex behaviour and, above critical conditions, can prompt flow instabilities even under low Reynolds number conditions which are entirely absent in the corresponding Newtonian fluid flows.
The primary goal of this project is to substantially expand the frontiers of our current knowledge regarding the mechanisms that lead to the development of such purely-elastic flow instabilities, and ultimately to understand the transition to so-called “elastic turbulence”, a turbulent-like phenomenon which can arise even under inertialess flow conditions. This is an extremely challenging problem, and to significantly advance our knowledge in such important flows these instabilities will be investigated in a combined manner encompassing experiments, theory and numerical simulations. Such a holistic approach will enable us to understand the underlying mechanisms of those instabilities and to develop accurate criteria for their prediction far in advance of what we could achieve with either approach separately. A deep understanding of the mechanisms generating elastic instabilities and subsequent transition to elastic turbulence is crucial from a fundamental point of view and for many important practical applications involving engineered complex fluids, such as the design of microfluidic mixers for efficient operation under inertialess flow conditions, or the development of highly efficient micron-sized energy management and mass transfer systems.
This research proposal will create a solid basis for the establishment of an internationally-leading research group led by the PI studying flow instabilities and elastic turbulence in complex fluid flows.